Telegraph transmitter



.gA fil 20,1926. 1,581,173

K. H. CANNAM TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTER Filed May 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I! If 2! April 20 1926. 1,581,173

K. 2- CANNAM TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTER Filed May 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' My. if a II If 37 43 41/ 7 lllllllllllllll lllllllllllillllll l Patented Apr. 2t), 1925.

KARL H. CANNAM, OF EUREKA, CALIFORNIA.

TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTER Application filed May 28 1925. Seriai No. 255,512

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KARL H. CANNAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eureka, in the county of Humboldt and State of alifornia have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telegraph Transmitters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in telegraph transmitters, and has for its object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an instrument of such class, with means for controlling the speed of the make and break and further for obtaining a solid contact at the make and break point.

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an instrument of the class referred to, which is comparatively simple in its construction and arrangment, strong, durable, requiring slight exertion to operate the same, thoroughly eflicientin its use, conveniently manipulated, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views F 1 is a top plan view of a telegraph transmitter, in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is an end elevation thereof.

Figure 1 is a section on line 44:, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail illustrating the piston.

Figure 6 is a sectional detail illustrating the tension adjusting element.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 indicates the base of the transmitter and is constructed of any suitable material and of any desired dimensions. Positioned on the base 1 is an inverted yoke-shaped support comprising a pair of vertical legs 2, 3, a head piece 4, flanges 5 extending from the lower ends of the legs 2, 3, and fixedly secured to the base 1 by the hold-fast devices 6, and a pair of apertured lugs 7, 8, ex-

tended rearwardly from the ends of the head piece 1. The opening in each lug 7 or 8 is indicated at 9 and the wall thereof is threaded.

The base 1 preferably is rectangular in contour and extending transversely with respect thereto, as well as projecting from one side thereof is a sending lever 10 formed at its outer end with a finger grip 11 and in proximity to said finger grip 11 with a pair of oppositely extending contact points 12, 13 coacting respectively with adjustable contact members or screws 14, 15 mounted respectively in posts 16, 17. The contact point 12 coacts with the contact member 1 for making the dashes and the contact points 13 coacts with the contact member 15 for making the dots. Vhen the lever 10 is shifted towards the right the dots are made and when shifted towards the left the clashes are made. The lever 10 is in the form of a flat spring about the size and strength of a hack-saw blade. k

Secured to the base 1, in proximity to that side opposite the side from which the lever 10 projects is an angle-shape supporting member for the tension adjusting element for and which engages the lever 10. The supporting member consists of a vertical leg 18 which extends through the base 1 and is connected therewith by hold-fast devices 19,

20. The said supporting member further includes a horizontally disposed arm 21 which extends transversely with respect to the base 1 and carries a tension adjusting element 22, which is in the form of a block provided with a slit 23 through which entends the lever 10. Theelement 22 overlaps the lever 10, see Figure 4%, and is formed with an opening 2 1 above the slit 23, for the purpose of slid-ably mounting the element 22 on the horizontal arm 21 of the supporting member. The element 22 provides means whereby the tension of the lever 10 can be set to any desired degree, and which is obtained by sliding element 22 on the arm 21 towards and away from the arm 18, and when moved in a direction from the arm 18' the stronger the tension, or in other words, when the element 22 is moved away from the arm 18, more force is required by the operator in manipulating the lever, or when moved towards the arm 18, the weaker the tension. The arm 21 and lever 10 are arranged below, but in alignment with the lugs 7 8 and the inner end of the lever 10 is connected to the arm 18, as at 25.

Arranged over the base 1, to the right of and spaced from the legs 2, 3, is a pair of magnets 26, 27 disposed longitudinally with respect to the base 1. The magnets 26, 27 are connected together by a transverse block 28, to which is rigidly connected one end of a shank 29, projected through a bore in a standard 30, arranged in proximity to the right end of the base 1. The shank 29 projects from the standard 30 and the projecting end thereof is reduced and peripherally threaded. The said projecting end is indicated at 31 and carries an adjustable disk 82. Interposed between the standards 30 and the block 28 and surrounding the shank 29 is a coiled spring 33 and which normally acts to force the magnets to the left, and by adjusting the disk 32, the magnets may be retracted against the action of the spring 83 and maintained in any desired position.

Extending upwardly from the left-hand end of the base 1 is a. post 34 carrying a controlling spring 35 for a clapper 36, which is interposed between the magnets 26, 27 and the legs 2, 3. The clapper 36 is spaced from the legs 2, 3 a greater distance than the distance between the clapper and the magnets. The clapper 36, with respect to Figure 4, consists of a plate 37, having depending therefrom a pair of oppositely extending curved arms 38, 39, having extending into the lower free ends thereof adjustable pivot screws 40 therefor. The screws 410 threadedly engage with and extend through retaining blocks 11 therefor, and said blocks 41 are secured to the base 1. The plate 37, centrally of its top edge, is formed with a vertically disposed bifurcated extension 42.

Secured to the base 1, near the left end thereof, between the post 3 and the legs 2, 8, is an inverted yoke-shaped member consisting of a head piece 13. a pair of vertical legs 14, 15 and each of the latter has its lower end formed with a flange 16,

through which extends a hold-fast device 48 for fixedly securing the legs to the base 1. The head piece 48 opposes but is spaced from the head piece 1, and is of less length than the length of the latter. The head piece 43 is arranged to'project an equal distance from each side of the longitudinal center of the base 1 and is provided centrally with an opening 19, having a threaded wall. Threadedly engaging with the wall of the opening 49 and extending through the head piece 13 is an adjustable contact screw 50 carrying an adjusting nut 51, arranged to the left of the head piece 43.

Threadedly engaging with the wall of each opening 9 is a peripherally threaded sleeve 52, having formed integral with its outer end a disk 53 of greater diameter than the diameter of the sleeve. The sleeves 52 are oppositely disposed with respect to each other and each is provided with a spring controlled plunger 54. Arranged between the sleeves 52 is av snapping element consisting of a flat spring 55, provided at each end with a pointed projection 56 enaging in a spring controlled plunger 54:.

The head piece 4 is formed centrally thereof with an opening 57 having a threaded wall, and adjustably engaging with the latter as well as extending through .the head piece 4 is an exteriorly threaded sleeve 58, carrying an adjusting nut 59 and a piston 60,

which passes through the extension and 7 through the snapping element and further is connected to the latter, as at 61. The piston 60 has a portion of its periphery threaded and on such portion is a pair of adjustable nuts 62, 63, one arranged at the right of and the other at the left of the clapper element 36 and which provide means for causing a shift thereof in either direction. The smooth portion of the periphery of the piston 60 extends through the sleeve 58.

The circuit wire connections are indicated at 64C, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71 and 72. A cutoff 73 is provided when the instrument is not in use. The arm 18 constitutes a b inding post and a circuit connection 66 leads thereto from a binding post 7 1, to which the circuit connection 6 1 is attached. The circuit connection leads to a binding post 7 5, and attached thereto are the circuit connect-ions 69 and 71. The connection 69 leads from a binding post '76 and connected with the'latter is a circuit connection 77 extended from the magnet 26. The circuit connection 68 leads from a binding post 7 8 and attached thereto is a circuit connection 79, extended from the magnet 27. The circuit connection 67 leads from a binding post in the connection 66, to the cutoff 73, and the latter cooperates with a contact 81 from which leads the circuit connection 7 0 to the circuit connection 71. The circuit connec tion 68 leads to one of the flanges The circuit connection 71 leads to the post 16. The circuit connection 72 leads from the post 17 to one of the flanges 46.

The nuts 62 and 63, in connection with the clapper element, provide respectively gaps X, Y. Control is obtained by widening the gaps X, Y, or by widening the distance between the cores of the magnets and clapper element or both, depending on the strength of the current use-d. lVhen higher voltage current is used, the work can be increased by the tightening of the sleeves 52. These three controls are very simple and quickly made and when once set for a certain current will not have to be changed under ordinary circumstances.

The slight exertion required on the part of the operator to manipulate the sending lever can be readily understood, as the sending lever is constructed of a flat spring about the size and strength of a hack-saw blade, and in making dashes and dots the contactpoints on the lever and the adjust able contact members can be placed at any desired width of gap, and no extra pressure is necessary to complete the circuit and start vibration of the clapper element when the sending lever is pressed to the right to make the dots and to the left when making thedashes. The making of the dashes is obtained by shorteningthe circuit without the current passing tln'ough the magnets, while the making of the dots causes the current to pass through the magnets which in turn force the piston 60 towards the magnets by the clapper element acting on the nut (33 cruising a break between th screw 50 and the piston. l-rfter the break between the screw 50 and the piston 60, the magnets are deenergized, which allows the clapper element to be forced back by the spring 35, which in turn causes the piston 60 to return to its original position of contact with the screw 50, due to the act-ion of the clapper element on the nut 62, and the foregoing operation is continuous to make and break as long as the current is supplied by the operation of the lever to the right to contact with the member 15.

The solid contact between the piston 60 and screw is made through the medium of the snapping element, as the latter is free to act in either direction. As the piston is moved toward the magnets, the snapping element straightens out as it reaches center and snaps towards the magnets as it passes center, and in the same manner snaps in an opposite direction to make a forcible solid contact between the piston 60 and the screw 50.

The magnets are of the ordinary horseshoe type. The base is constructed of wood or other non-conducting material. The springs are of steel. All of the other elements, with the exception of the clapper element, are constructed of brass, so that magnetism will have no effect thereon. The clapper element 36 is constructed of pure iron which is susceptible to the magnetism.

The foregoing arrangement and construction of parts provides a telegraph transmitter, having means for controllingthe speed of the make and break, for obtaining solid contact at the make and break point, and further requiring but slight exertion to operate, and it is thought that the many advantages of a transmitting instrument, in accordance with this invention, can be readily understood, and although the preferred en'ibodiment of the invention. is as illustrated and described, yet it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction can be had which will fall with in the scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is 1. In a telegraph transmitter a supporting member, a tensioned sending lever having one end thereof connected therewith, said member having a portion'thereof superposed with respect to said lever, and means slid ably adj ustable on said member and overlapping and shiftable lengthwise with respect to the lever for increasing and decreasing the tension of the latter.

2. In a telegraph transmitter a sending lever formed of a length of spring metal, and slidably supported means shiftable lengthwise with respect thereto for increasing and decreasing the tension thereof, said means overlapping said lever and supported independently of the latter.

3. A telegraph transmitter comprising a spring controlled electrically operated oscillatory clapperpivotally supported in proximity to its lower end, a reciprocatory make and break element operated from and eX- tending through said clapper, an adjustable contact member coacting with one end of said element, and means acting on said elementintermediate the ends thereof for making a solid contact with said member.

4. A telegraph transmitter comprising a spring controlled electrically operated oscillatory clapper pivotally supported in pro);- imity to its lower end, a reciprocatory make and break element operated from and extending through said clapper, an adjustable contact member coac-t-ing with one end of said element, a snapping device acting on said element intermediate the ends thereof of said element to provide a make and break point, and adjustable means connected with said element intermediate its ends for facilitating its movement in either direction and for forming a solid contact at the make and break point.

7, A telegraph transmitter comprising a reciprocatory clapper operated make and break element, means coacting with one end of said element to provide a make and break point, a snapping device connected with said element intermediateits ends for facilitating its movement in either direction and for forming a solid contact at the make and break point, and means coacting with said snapping device for controlling the speed of said element.

8. In a telegraph transmitter a lever formed of a length of spring metal standing on edge, slidably supported means shiftable lengthwise with respect to said lever for increasing and decreasing the tension thereof, said means overlapping the lever and supported independently of the latter, a spring controlled electrically operated oscillatory clapper pivotally supported near its lower end, a reciprocatory make and break element extended therethrough and impacted by the clapper to provide for its operation in a reciprocatory manner, an adjustable contact member coacting with one end of said element, and an adjustable snapping mechanism acting on said element, intermediate its ends, "for making a solid contact with said member and further for controlling the speed of the element.

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature hereto.

KARL H. CANNAM. 

